Settable type wheel printing mechanism



Aug. 14, 1962 1. SPlAZZl SETTABLE TYPE-WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1958 1962 l. SPIAZZI 3,049,075

SETTABLE TYPE WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July '7, 1958 13 Sheets-Sheet 2 j sf;4.zzi

Aug. 14, 1962 Filed July 7, 1958 (D O N SPIAZZI 3,049,075

SETTABLE TYPE WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM l5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1962 l. SPIAZZI 3,049,075

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SETTABLE T" E WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 1958 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 in van Aug. 14, 1962 l. SPIAZZI 3,049,075

SETTABLE TYPE WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 1958 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 inventor:

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SETTABLE TYPE WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 1958 13 Sheets-Sheet 7 in renter- Aug. 14, 1962 l. SPIAZZI 3,049,075

SETTABLE TYPE WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July '7, 1958 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 y bffornzlf Aug. 14, 1962 I. SPIAZZI SETTABLE TYPE WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM l3 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 7, 1958 f n vcnfo 1: iv: J

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S ETTABLE TYPE WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 11 lllAA II" 1962 1. SPIAZZI 3,049,075

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Aug. 14, 1962 I. SPIAZZI 3,049,075

SETTABLE TYPE WHEEL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 1958 13 Sheets-Sheet 13 178 Q I26 l6l INVENTOR lVO SPIAZZI @NEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,049,075 Patented Aug. 14, 1962 3,049,075 SETTABLE TYPE WHEEL PRINTING MEIIHANISM Ivo piazzi, Milan, Italy, assignor to Fabbrica Italiana Macchine Aziendali, Milan, Italy, a company of Italy Filed July 7, 1958, Ser. No. 746,907 Claims priority, application Italy July 24, 1957 7 Claims. (Cl. 101-93) In various cases it appears necessary or convenient to print figures and totals on a horizontal plane, said printing being obtained by means of the action of a pressure member upon a sheet of paper superimposed on a tape or ribbon, and under the latter a set of wheels carrying the various figures or digits engraved therein.

These wheels are positioned and lifted in a convenient manner according to the principles of the invention set forth hereinafter.

The printing of this data may take place in combination with other printing obtained by means of suitable heating bars or alone; the two units of printing wheels printing on a plane, and of beating bars connected in suitable manner and in suitable phase to an adding unit.

In addition to the modalities of setting of the type wheels it is an object of: the present invention to provide a system of transmission of values from the adding part of the machine to the type wheels.

To attain that purpose, two embodiments are illustrated hereinafter, one of which is prevailingly mechanical in character while the other one is electromechanical.

The equipment according to the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a combined adding machine and address-printing machine constructed according to one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken through this address-printing machine taken adjacent one side thereof.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the structure carrying the type wheels and the controls.

FIG. 4 is a right hand side view of the parts shown in FIGURE 3.

FIG. 5 is a left hand side view of the parts shown in FIGURE 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 in FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a vertical section of the member for transmission of the values forming part of the adding equipment.

FIG. 8 illustrates the mechanism for transmitting movement from the adding mechanism to the address-printing mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a modified form of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a modified form of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 11 is an electrical diagram illustrating the control circuit for the mechanisms in FIGS. 9 and 10.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the stages of operation of the main members of the device.

FIG. 13 is a detail view of part of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 14 is a detail view of part of the mechanism shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 15 is similar to FIG. 2 but illustrates the type or printing wheels in their raised or printing positions. FIG. 16 is similar to FIG. 10 but illustrates the type or printing Wheels in their raised or printing positions.

In FIGURE 1 there is indicated diagrammatically a group of printing or beating bars 1, and a roll 2 for transport of paper 3 which is printed by beating bars through the intermediary of a tape or ribbon (not shown in the drawing). The main racks 101 of the machine, in addition to determining the setting of the values in various accumulators, the setting of the printing bars 1, and the discharge of the accumulators in the case of totals, determine-as will be seenthe setting of a memory and transmission mechanism which, in the case of the present invention, is controlled by the gear teeth provided in the racks 101.

However, the present invention is not intended to be limited to application in combination with address-printing machines, but is applicable to any kind of adding machine, business machine, receipting machines, and so on.

In the diagrammatical example of FIG. 1, for instance, the printed document 3 might constitute a daybook while the pressure member 183 and the printing wheels 123, through the intermediary of a tape or ribbon 10 might print on an account card.

According to one embodiment of the present invention the pressure member 183 is suited for the contemporaneous printing of the data set on the type wheels 123 and of the data punched on a plate. In this case the plane 11 represents the printing plane of an address-printing machine while the beating bars 1 constitute the printing members of an adding device combined with the addressprinting machine.

FIG. 7 illustrates a partial view of an adding machine. In the figure are visible the racks 101 for setting the adding machine values, a universal bar 102 for zerosetting of racks 101, and one of the accumulators 103, each of which carries a totalizing pinion 104 that meshes with the teeth 105 built up on the lower portion of an adjacent rack 101.

Each rack 101 has also supplementary teeth 102' oriented towards the upper portion of the machine.

Every figure is retained in a memory by means of a pinion 106 having ten teeth, and disposed to mesh with the teeth 102 of a rack 101 and each having limit controls like those used for the totalizer. For every position of transmission the members are as illustrated in FIG- URE 7. The pinion 106 as shown is engaged with a supplementary rack 107, which transmits the movement through an intermediate gear 108 and a toothed rod 109. Each rod 109 by means of a Bowden cable 110 (FIG. 8), working by traction, positions corresponding type wheel. Every memorizing pinion 106 is placed on a special support plaque 111 which is capable of being displaced in a vertical direction. Each plaque is guided by guides 112 and 113. The transverse bar 114 tends to push with its own weight the plaque 111 and, therefore, the pinions 106 downwardly to engage with the teeth 102 of the main rack.

The movement of lowering said plaque 111 is controlled by the transverse bar 115 pivoted at 116 and controlled in suitable phase by the main members of the adding device. In the first semi-cycle of the adding device, namely when the racks 101 are displaced in the direction of the arrow 117 (FIGURE 12 reference C) to the extent permitted by the setting stops 121 (FIG. 8), the tags or plaques 111 are held lifted by bar 115 and, therefore, the memorizing pinions 106 are released from the racks 101.

Prior to starting the subsequent semi-cycle the crossbar 115 permits the lowering of the tags 111 so that the pinions 106 mesh with the main racks 101 which shift in the direction contrary to that of the arrow 117 thereby setting determined values in pinions 106 (FIG. 12 reference D).

At the end of a complete cycle the tags 111 are lifted by the action of the cross-bar 115. In the first subsequent semi-cycle (FIG. 12 reference N) the pinions 106 will mesh with the supplementary racks 107 that move in the direction of the arrow 118 under the action of the springs 122 (FIG. 8) provided in the group for setting the type wheels. The pull of the spring is transmitted by means of the Bowden cable 110 and transmission rod u 109. The stroke of every supplementary rack 107 is limited by the pinions 106 according to the positions attained by the zero cam, which is built up on each pinion. Said Zero cam in fact is stopped by the small tooth or pawl 119 (FIG. 7) whose tip in stopping the pinion 106 stops also the supplementary rack 107. There is a pawl 119 pivoted on each plaque 111. In the second semi-cycle the cross-bar 115 allows the plaques 111 to lower, the pinions 106 mesh with the main racks 101 and so the cycle described is repeated.

Again in the second semi-cycle the cross-bar 119' acts upon the extension 120 of the auxiliary racks 107 and returns them to their initial position. It should be noted how the values read in a given cycle, are transmitted to the racks 107, thereby setting the type wheels 123, in the subsequent semi-cycle.

The group of the type wheels or under-bench printing group are constructed as shown by FIG. 2. It is noted that each of the wheels carrying the characters to be printed, indicated with numeral 123, are positioned by means of the intermediate wheels 124, 125, 126, of which the last is controlled by the rack 127. Rack 127 is moved forward under the action of the spring 122 as previously indicated; such limitation of the stroke being determined by the displacement of the Bowden cable 110 connected by means of a rod 128 to the left end of said rack. The rods 128 and, therefore, the racks 127 are recovered under the action of the universal bar 129 (phase N FIG. 12) which abuts against an extension 130 of the small rod 128. The right end of the rack 127 carries an eyelet 131 in which there slides a small pin 132 riveted on the small rod 133 to the end of which is fixed one end of the spring 122 previously indicated.

The wheels 123, 124, 125 and 126 rotate around pins riveted on a tag 134 displaceable in vertical direction and guided in that movement by combs 135, 136, 137 and 138. At the lower end of the tag or plate 134 there is fulcrumed at 139 a system of toggle-joint levers 140, 141, the central pin of which 142 is riveted on the small rod 143. Rod 43 is reciprocable and is guided by the combs 176 and 177, and is urged by the spring 144 against and is retained in the position indicated in the figure, by the cross-bar 145 which is fulcrumed at 146.

On terminated positioning of the type wheels (namely, when the universal bar 129 has terminated its stroke towards the right hand 165 degrees) the universal bar 145 is controlled to rotate in counterclockwise sense according to the phase of FIGURE 12, leaving the rods 143 free to shift towards the right hand of FIG. 2. As a consequence of said displacement the central fulcrum of the toggles, in shifting towards the right, will cause the lifting of the tag 134 so wheels 123 press the tape against body 183 (FIG. 1), while the position of the lower pins of said levers 141 remain unaltered. Springs 144 resiliently load the toggle levers 140 and 141 so that in case of a possible abnormal thickness under the pressure body 183, no damage to type wheels 123 will occur. The lower end of each lever 141 is pivoted on a pin 141 which is carried by one end of a lever 147 which rotates around a central fulcrum 163. The oppo site end of each lever 147 is held lowered under the action of a spring 148.

The small levers 147 are guided by combs 149' and 150. In the case of a possible abnormal pressure upon the wheel 123 the entire assembly indicated previously will lower by overcoming the action of the spring 148 indicated above. On the tag 134, beneath the rack 127, there is riveted a small pin 151 so that as the tag lifts, thesmall pin 151 drags the rack 127 upwards, which thus always remains engaged with the transmission gear 126.

To each rack 127 there is riveted a small pin I52 upon which, under the action of the spring 157, there rests the small rod 153 which is fulcrumed at 154, in its lower portion, on the small rod 155 fulcrumed at 156.

Each small rod 153 is guided by the comb 161 and presents a projection 158 which will be engaged by the strap 159, fulcrumed at 160, When the rack 127 is displaced at least by one step, namely each time the gear column in question rotates the associated wheel 123 a significant digit. This function is defined as printing selection and the phase of the movement is illustrated at reference P of FIG. 12.

Immediately after the displacement of the rack 127 to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, the strap 159 rotates clockwise and if, as said above, the column involved receives a significant digit, the small lever 153 in rotating under the action of the spring 157, is lifted by the strap 159 engaging the projection 158, and drags along with it the corresponding small lever 155.

On the upper side of each lever (FIGS. 2 and 13) there rests, through a small pin 165, a rod 166'. The upper end 167 of each rod 166 is bent at a right angle to oppose the displacement towards the right hand, of the small rod 143, being in contact with the notch 169 of said small rod. Each rod 143 (FIG. 2) is secured to a strap 170 fixed to a stationary part of the machine. The small rod 166 is guided by the combs 171 and 172 and by a round piece part 173 fixed to a stationary part of the machine.

The lifting of 166 will thus allowif the bar 145 (FIG. 2) rotates in a counterclockwise sensethe displacement towards the right hand, of the small rod 143 and, therefore, the desired lifting of the type wheels.

The system then permits the Writing of the Zeros to the right hand of the last significant digit, as required by usual applications.

To this end it is necessary that each small rod 166 should permit the displacement of the associated small rod 143 even if the rack 127 does not shift towards the right hand, as in a case Where the corresponding column has not received any setting.

The lower end of each small rod 166 is bent at a right angle towards the right hand, while, towards the left hand it has a riveted pin 168.

In that way, as shown in FIG. 13, the last small rod 166, that is lifted by effect of the displacement by at least one step of the corresponding rack 127, lifts the small rod 166 at its own right side by acting by means of its own bent part 174 upon the small pin 168 of the small rod that finds itself to the right hand. This small rod lifts in turn the small rod at its own right hand and so on to the last column which has not received any setting.

With the last-but-one wheel, the rotation control for the type wheel, there inserts engages a small aligning tooth 179 whose special profile engages into the teeth of the wheel 124 thereby allowing the alignment of all the type wheels. This small tooth is fulcrumed at 179' and is pressed against the respective wheel 124 by a spring 177 which is rotated by the shaft 178 (FIGS. 3 and 4) in the convenient phase as indicated in FIG. 12 at reference P, that is, in phase with the lifting of the type wheels.

When all the type wheels 123 have so been positioned, selected and lifted, the machine is ready for carrying out the printing which can be effected by any of the known means, for instance by the action of a pressure member 183 actuated by an eccentric 184- controlled cyclically by the motor 185 (FIG. 1).

The phase in which the pressure member 183 is in contact with the printing means, is indicated at reference M in FIG. 12.

The return to the rest position, of the control members, that is to say, of the universal bar 129, the lifting control for shaft 146, the printing section shaft 160, and the printing alignment control shaft 178, takes place according to the phases as illustrated in FIGURE 12 and as previously indicated.

The operation controls of the foregoing assembly are illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4, and 5. In FIG. 3 is seen the plan of the assembly, wherein are shown the sup porting sides 200 and 201 f or the various control shafts and for the guide combs; and the main control shaft 202 which through a gear 203 is controlled in synchronism with the shaft of the combined adding device.

On this shaft 202 there are fitted the four servicing cams, namely:

204 controlling the lifting of the type wheels;

205 controlling the selection of the wheels that have to print;

206 and 206' which control the universal bar 129 for rack advancement; and

207 which controls the zero-setting of the stopping star dog 180 (FIG. 7) for the racks.

On the same shaft 202 there is also connected the coupling 208 (FIG. which determines the rotation of the main shaft 202, and which will not be described in detail herein. On an extension of shaft 202 are connected the pulse distributing cams 209 and the main circuit breaker 210 (FIG. 11).

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate or switch the control of the universal bar 129: the cams 206 and 206', which are secured in axially spaced relation on shaft 202 adjacent opposite ends thereof, act upon small rolls 211 of levers 212 fulcrumed at 220 and constrained to engagement with the respective cams by springs 213 fixed each at one end of each lever. At the other end of each lever 212 there is fixed a link 214 to which at 217 there is connected one end of the universal bar 129. Each link 217 is' adjustable in length at 215 and 216. The phase or" movement of 129 is illustrated in FIG. 12 at the reference N.

In FIG. 4 there is illustrated the control system for the shafts 146 and 178.

The cam 204, fitted on the main shaft 202, engages a small roll 221 rotatably mounted on the lever 222 intermediate i-ts ends. Lever 222 is pivotally mounted at one end as at 223, and pivotally connected at its other end to one end of the link 224 which is pivotally connected at its opposite end to one arm of the bell-crank lever 225. Said lever 225 is fulcrumed at 226 and has its other arm pivotally connected to one end of another link 227 which is pivotally connected at its other end to one end of the small lever 228 which has its other end clamped to the shaft 14-6.

On the same shaft 146 there is fitted another lever 229 which is connected through the link 230 displaces the lever 231 fitted on the shaft 178.

Said shaft 178 pressesthrough leaf spring 177upon the small pawl 1'79. The two phases of lifting and aligning type wheels and of alignment coincide and occur as indicated at O in FIG. 12.

From the cam 205' (FIG. 4) originates the printing selection, the phase of which is illustrated in FIG. 12 at line P. On cam 205 there engages a small roll 232 that is rotatably mounted on the lever 233 which is pivotally mounted at one end as at 223. At its other end lever 233 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 234 which is connected at its upper end to one end of a lever 235 which is fulcrumed as at 226'. The other end of lever 235 is connected to one end of a link 236 which is connected to the lever 237 fitted fixed on the shaft 1160.

Instead of the preceding system which is prevailingly mechanical in character, it is possible to utilize a system for the memorizing and setting of values which is electromechanical in character as shown in FIGURES 3, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 16.

, FIG. 9 represents the modified mechanism for memorizing and transmission of values wherein the main racks 101 of the adding device, the supporting tags 111 for the memorizing pinions, and the auxiliary racks 107 for discharge of memorizing pinions 106' remain; and to these have been added springs 110 for returning the auxiliary racks to rest position instead of the Bowden 6 wire and its associated elements employed in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

The memorizing pinion 106 has been replaced by another, one having two sets of teeth, of which one set 184 is for engaging with the main racks 101 and the other one for engaging with the auxiliary racks 107.

Moreover, a conductor half-ring 185 as well as a current feed brush $6 and a current outlet brush 187 have been secured to each pinion 106', said half-ring permitting the passage of electric current only if the respective auxiliary pinion 106' has reached its zero position.

In each pinion 106' there has been provided a arcuate slot 18%; for limiting the maximum stroke to the rotation of nine teeth of the memorizing pinion, the end of stroke being established by small pin 189 riveted in the supporting plate 111.

The operation of unit of FIG. 9 is analogous to that of the corresponding mechanical group illustrated in FIG. 7.

Prior to the starting of the return stroke of the main racks 101 in the direction of arrow 118 in FIG. 9, each plate 111 lowers while to engage its pinion 106 with the teeth 102 on the corresponding main rack. At the end of cycle of the adding device, of which the racks 161 form a part, each plate 111 is lifted by the action of the bar and its pinion 106 engages the corresponding auxiliary rack 107.

In the following cycle, in the first half cycle, the universal bar 119 starts displacement in the direction of the arrow 118' (FIG. 9 thereby) permitting to zero-set gradually all the memorizing pinions 106 to be rotated clockwise in FIG. 9 as the auxiliary racks 107 are being pulled by the springs 110 to follow the displacement of the universal bar 119.

In the meantime the racks 101 will have shifted according to what is permitted by the system for setting of values as represented in FIG. 8 by the stops 12.1, displacing themselves in the direction of the arrow 118 (1 16.9).

There will follow the cycle of introduction of values into the memorizing pinions 106 as previously described with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

In both embodiments of this invention it should be noted that the system transmits the values to the group of type wheels with one cycle of delay. That is, as the racks 101 initially move in the direction of arrows 118 or 118 to the extent permitted by stops 121 (FIG. 8), such movement is not immediately imparted to auxiliary racks 107. Instead, it is not until racks 101 have returned (completing a cycle) and rotated pinions 106 or 106' counterclockwise (FIGS. 7 and 9), that the initial movement of racks 101 is ready to be imparted or transmitted to racks 107. This is to permit the contemporaneous printing of the plate and of the value derived therefrom according to a particular utilisation of the invention which is described in an application that is filed on same date as the present application and which has already been referred to.

In case said phase displacement should not be required, it will sufiice, obviously, that the memorizing pinions should engage with the main racks in the forward stroke thereof while the transmisison of values will take place in the second semi-cycle, again by action of the auxiliary racks 107 While the main racks return to the starting position.

The cycles described appear in FIG. 12 at reference 0 for the lifting of the wheels and at reference N for the to and fro movement of the racks 107. In the same figure there are also indicated the values in degrees at which the movements described take place.

Referring again to FIG. 9, instead of transmitting the movement of pinions 106' to the printing wheels 123 by means of the Bowden wire 110, the electro-mechanical means shown in FIGS. 6, 9 to 11 and 14 is employed.

The mechanism in FIG. 10 is analogous to the one already disclosed in FIG. 2 except for the absence of the Bowden cable 11th, the change of the operating position of the tension springs 122 for the racks 127, and the change of position of the spring 144 that controls the lifting of the type wheels.

The rods 133' (FIG. 10) which are pivotally connected to the ends of the racks 127 have been provided with teeth 190 with which there engage the three-tipped dogs 184} which are entrusted with the task of stopping the racks 127 at the respective Values transmitted by the memorizing pinion 105.

When each pinion 166' (preset by racks 131) is elevated, its teeth 284 engage racks N7, and bar 11$ moves in the direction of arrow 11% so that each pinion 106 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 9 by racks 167 and springs 122 until opposite ends of its conductor contact brushes 286 and 287. At zero position of each pinion 106' the associated relay 191 is energized. Each relay 191 through a link 192 connected to its own armature, moves the small detent 181 so that its notch 281 engages and holds the extension 1% of the associated dog 18%.

Upon being released by detent idll, a tension spring 182 extending between the second arm 18d of each dog 180 and the corresponding detent 131 causes each lever 180 to be rotated until its third extension ihil engages the tooth 1% on the rod 133) that at that time presents itself before it engages thereby blocking said rack which will thus have set a definite value in the type wheels. In this position, the arm 1% of each lever 1% will abut against the stop 181" provided in front of and above the rest stop 1&1 previously described. As bar 119 (FIG. 9) moves in the direction of arrow 118', bar 12% moves to the right in FIG. 10 and permits each rack 127 and its rod 133 to move to the right also. As each pinion tee is rotated back to its zero position by a rack 107, it energizes a relay 191 which releases one of the detents 181 in FIG. 10, thereby interrupting the movement of the corresponding rack 127. The latter rack will have thus set its corresponding print wheel 123 in a position related to, or dictated by, the respective pinion 106' with which it is associated.

The bar 238 connected to the shaft 239 serves to ensure attainment of rest position of the small detents 181 if the dogs 186 are rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 10 and thus returned to zero by means of the action of the bar 249 connected to the shaft 241. Cam 2 27 fitted on the shaft 202 (FIG. 6) is engaged by the small roll 2 31 rotatably mounted on the lever 242 which is pivotally mounted at one end on the pin 243. At its other end the lever 242 is connected by the link 2 24 to one end of a lever 248 pivoted at its opposite end on the pin 251.

On said pin 251 there is secured a bell crank lever 245 with one arm connected by the link 246 to a lever secured on the shaft 241.

The clockwise rotation of shaft 241 causes the zerosetting of the stop levers 1% for the racks as said above. The other arm of the lever 245 is connected by a link 249 to the lever 250 which is secured on the shaft 239 and causes the rotation of said shaft.

counterclockwise rotation of shaft 239 causes, as illustrated, the return to zero of the small detents Hill for stopping the dogs 180.

This latter movement constitutes a safety measure since each small lever 181 is urged by the sprirr 182 to strike against the end 180' of the associated dog 1% already returned to zero by the bar 240.

In FIG. 11 there is illustrated the electric control circuit in which in addition to the members already described, ten conductor half-rings 185 on pinions res, each of which is connected in series with a pair of current inlet and outlet brushes 187, 1%, and a relay 191 for unhooking of the dog 18%, are connected in parallel across a DC. voltage supply, between the positive terminal of which and the ten conductors 135, is a switch whose contact 21W is periodically opened in syn- GIL chronism, with the forwarding of each tooth of the memorizing pinion 1%. Each pinion 1% has ten teeth, whereby the circuit in PEG. 11 will conduct current ten different times during the period in which there are discharged the various settings eifected in the memorizing pinions.

According to the phase, each pulse will correspond so to a digit, namely to t), l, 2, 9.

The pinions res, if on the zero, will allow the pulse to pass that the circuit-breaker will generate at that time in the common member 194- of the brushes 187.

Each of the relays 191 will thus be energizable when its corresponding pinion 1% is at zero, and will stop the corresponding rack E27 accordingly suitable value.

The phases of the pulses of the circuit-breaker are indicated at the reference A in FIG. 12; the zero intervals of the pinions are result at the reference R of FIG 12.

The difference of angular amplitude between the two series of pulses in needed in order to have a greater facility of adjustment of the whole.

From the description given hereinbefore it appears evident how the rotation of the switch 210 and the displacement of the universal bars 119 and 129 are synchronous.

By adjusting earn 2%, the phase of the movement of the bar 12% is adjusted to take into account the times of energizing of the relays and the displacement of the levers that lead to the engagement of the arms 180" of the dogs iii-i} with the teeth in rods 133.

1 claim:

1. A printing assembly operable from an outside source, comprising a plurality of spaced supporting plates mounted side by side between the teeth of suitable guiding and supporting combs, a type wheel rotatably mounted on each of said supporting plates with a portion of its peripheral surface projecting above its associated plate, a pressing pad operably mounted above said type wheels, an inking ribbon mounted between said pressing pad and said type wheels, means for moving sheet material between said inking ribbon and the pressing pad, a plurality of variable stroke racks operable from said outside source, each of which is mounted between two adjacent plates, a plurality of intermeshed gear wheels mounted on each or" said plates, one of said gear wheels on each of said plates being in constant engagement with one of said racks and opcratively connecting said one rack to the type wheel mounted on that plate whereby said racks position said type wheels angularly to a position controlled by said outside so rce, means connected to each of said plates for lifting said plates rectilinearly and independently of the other plates, between the teeth of said combs to lift said type wheels from a lower, non-printing position to a raised printing position, and means for moving said pressing pad against sheet material to press said sheet material against said inking ribbon and the lifted type wheels when the letters are in their raised, printing positions.

2. A printing assembly operable from an outside source, comprising a plurality of spaced supporting plates mounted side by side between the teeth of the guiding and supporting combs for reciprocation into and out of printing position, a type wheel rotatably mounted on each of said supporting plates with a portion of its peripheral surface extending above its associated plate, a plurality of variable stroke racks operable from said outside source, each of which is mounted between two adjacent plates, a plurality of gear wheels mounted on each of said plates and opcratively connecting one of said racks to the type wheel mounted on that plate to position said type wheel angularly to a position controlled by said outside source, a rocker arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends below each one of said plates, toggle linkage connecting each rocker arm at one end to one of said plates, spring means connected to the other end of each rocker arm to constantly urge said rocker arm in one direction to resiliently hold the associated plate and type wheel in printing position when said toggle linkage is in its extended position, and means connected to said linkages and movable in opposite directions to move each of said linkages into its extended and retracted positions, respectively to thereby positively move its associated plate and type wheel in and out of printing position, respectively.

3. A printing assembly operable from an outside source, comprising a plurality of spaced supporting plates mounted side by side for movement relative to one another, a type wheel rotatably mounted on each of said supporting plates with a portion of its peripheral surface projecting above its associated plate and movable therewith into and out of printing position, a plurality of reciprocable, variable stroke racks each of which is mounted between two adjacent plates, means connecting each rack to the outside source for efiecting a predetermined rectilinear stroke of each rack in one direction, each of said racks being pivotally mounted at one end and having an arcuate slot at its other end, a pin extending into each arcuate slot and permitting the associated rack to have limited pivotal movement about said one end thereof, a plurality of gear wheels rotatably mounted on each of said plates and connecting the type wheel mounted on that plate with one of said racks to transmit said predetermined stroke of said one rack to the associated type wheel means connected to each of said plates for lifting that plate rectilinearly and independently of the other plates to lift its associated type wheel to the printing position, and means secured to each plate for pivoting its associated rack in the direction of movement of the plate as the plate moves up wardly to printing position, thereby keeping said rack in constant mesh with its associated type wheel.

4. A printing assembly operable from an outside source, comprising a plurality of spaced supporting plates mounted side by side for movement relative to one another, a type wheel rotatably mounted on each of said supporting plates with a portion of its peripheral surface projecting beyond its respective plate and movable therewith into and out of a printing position, a plurality of reciprocable, variable stroke racks operable from said outside source and reciprocable rectilinearly thereby selectively through different distances, each of said racks being mounted between two adjacent plates and being pivotally mounted at one end and having an arcuate slot in its other end, means extending into each arcuate slot permitting each rack to have a limited pivotal movement about said one end thereof, a plurality of gear wheels mounted on each of said plates and connecting one of said racks with the type wheel mounted on that plate to transmit the rectilinear movement of said rack to the associated type wheel, a rocker arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends below each one of said plates, toggle linkage connecting each rocker arm at one end to one of said plates, spring means connected to the other end of each rocker arm to constantly urge said rocker arm in one direction to resiliently hold the associated plate and type wheel in upward printing position when the associated toggle linkage is in its extended position, and means connected to said linkages and movable in opposite directions to move each of said linkages into its extended and retracted positions, respectively, to thereby move the associated plate and the type wheel carried by the associated plate into and out of printing position, and means secured to each plate for moving its associated rack in the direction of movement of the plate as the plate moves upwardly toward printing position to maintain the rack in engagement with the associated type wheel.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the means for moving each plate to printing position includes a member movable by the associated rack to an operating position upon stroke of the associated rack in one direction, and means for actuating the members when they are in operating position to effect the movement of said plates to printing position.

6. A printing assembly according to claim 4 wherein means are provided for moving all of said plates to printing position that are positioned at one side of a plate upon movement of that plate to printing position regardless of whether or not said members associated with said last-named plates have been moved to their operating positions.

7. A printing assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein means is connected to each of said plates for resiliently holding the associated type wheel in raised printing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

